


Intervention

by vengefulghoul



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 13:24:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6856705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vengefulghoul/pseuds/vengefulghoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After two years, Ellie's had enough of watching Nick beat around the bush when it comes to his feelings for his partner. </p><p>A short fic I wrote after a late night spent thinking about Ellie and Nick's relationship and how much I love their dynamic. Also an exercise in dialogue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Intervention

"Nick, we need to talk." Ellie rubbed her temples and sighed roughly. 

 

"Something the matter? Look, if it's about that raise-"

 

"It's not about the damn money! It's about you. Now sit." Ellie pointed commandingly at the seat in front of her desk where clients usually sat. Nick hesitantly planted himself, concerned about what was ahead of him afterwards. Ellie fussed over him from time to time, but didn't often seem so genuinely fed up. He would never intentionally do anything to make her angry.

 

"We need to talk about you and Nora, okay?" She sighed.

 

"Nora? What's wrong with Nora? I think we've been doing really well lately. Solved three cases this week." 

 

"That's what I mean. You have been partners for nearly two years now." Ellie groaned, making brackets with her hands for emphasis. "Ever since you started working together, things have been great. She's made a huge difference around the agency, we've been pulling in more clients, and most importantly... You're _happy_ , Nick. It's plain as day."

 

Nick stared on, puzzled, and still not understanding the issue.

 

"I see how you two get along and how you... you look at each other sometimes, and it makes me wonder: don't you feel anything for her?" 

 

Nick's face would've drained of color if he hadn't already been pale as a ghost to begin with. "I... I don't understand what you're getting at."

 

"Don't play dumb with me! You're hopelessly in love with that poor woman and you're too stubborn to actually do anything about it. I can't just sit idly by while you let your own happiness slip through your fingers. I know how you are." 

 

Nick sighed deeply and rubbed his face. "Trust me, Ellie... I have my reasons."

 

"What, feeling sorry for yourself?" She laughed dryly. 

 

Nick's gaze fell to the floor. 

 

"I'm sorry for being so harsh, Nick, but you must know how much I care about you and how much I want you to be happy. Would it... really kill you to believe that maybe, just maybe, someone doesn't care that you're a synth? That maybe someone loves you for you? Is it really that crazy?"

 

"It would be selfish of me."

 

"No, it's selfish of you to keep her waiting like this just because you're afraid of love." 

 

Nick flashed an annoyed, hurt look and stood up. 

 

"I'm afraid of losing a good partner and a good friend just because I decided to fly a little too close to the sun. Do you understand what it's like? I've been on this earth for nearly a century and never, not once, have I wanted to be with another person. You know why? Because I was realistic. I was just trying to survive. I knew people thought I was a freak and I was fine just trying to convince them I wasn't trying to kill them in their sleep!" His voice wavered slightly. "Half of that time I spent mourning a fiance I never actually had. I thought I loved someone who never even knew me; who never met me. So, you know what? Yeah. I am afraid. I'm afraid of fixing something that isn't broken."

 

Ellie looked up at her boss, finding herself at a loss at what to say. He carried so much pain around with him.

 

Nick sat down again slowly. "I'm sorry, Ellie." 

 

"Don't apologize." She said, weakly. "I was... totally out of line."

 

The two sat in silence for a moment to let the heavy air dissipate.

 

Nick rubbed his face again and rested his elbows on the desk. "Maybe... Maybe you're right."

 

"Nora's a good person, Nick." 

 

"I know." 

 

"She's pretty."

 

"She's beautiful." He sighed with dismay. 

 

Ellie stood and rested her hand on his shoulder. "You've been through so much together. I know it's hard, but you've got to tell her how you feel. You deserve to give yourself a chance."

 

Nick stared into the distance solemnly.

 

"I joke with new clients a lot about how I don't even notice you aren't human anymore, but it's true. When I look at you I don't see a synth. I see Nick Valentine. My boss, my friend, and someone very important to me. If Nora cares about you as much as I know she does, she sees you the very same way." Ellie smiled. "When you love someone enough, none of that... really matters anymore."

 

"I can't help but remember that the last woman who felt that way was killed for it." Nick scoffed. "But Eddie Winter is gone. He's gone, and so is Jenny and the old Nick. To anyone else, they're just characters in a sad story that happened two hundred years ago. I don't know why I hold onto it like this."

 

"Nick and Jenny are gone, but you and Nora are here. I won't let you ruin your future for the sake of holding onto the past."

 

"I've been a damn fool. I've been protecting myself from the truth all this time when I didn't really need to, and that truth is... that I love her. I want to be with her more than anything. She's done more for me than these old memories of mine ever have." Nick laughed weakly. "God, I... I kept going on to her about wanting something to call my own, but maybe she's it. I can't believe I was so stupid."

 

"You're not stupid. Just stubborn." Ellie smirked. 

 

"Thanks, Ellie. I really needed this. And... I'm sorry. About me."

 

"Don't mention it, big guy. We'll talk about that raise later." Ellie jabbed him playfully in the arm. 

  
  



End file.
